The Almshouses Gazette

The Almshouses Gazette is published quarterly and sent out to all member charities by post. We aim to include informative articles on current issues affecting almshouse charities and their management.  We are delighted to receive articles from member charities about their residents, events and celebrations. Recommended article size is around 500 words together with a good quality photograph in jpeg format.  Please email articles to karenmorris@almshouses.org

Back issues dating to Spring 2019 can be downloaded by clicking in the links below.  Each member charity receives two hard copies of each published Gazette; if you would like to purchase additional hard copies (£2.75 each), please contact us on 01344 452 922 or email admin@almshouses.org.

Issue 278 Summer 2025

In this issue

  • We are moving!
  • HRH Duke of Gloucester visits Elizabeth Twining Almshouses/Almshouses on BBC Radio 4
  • CEO Comment – why almshouse trustees make a difference
  • Over and under insurance explained
  • Trustee duties and incorporation
  • Good practice in safeguarding
  • Rethinking permanent endowment funds
  • Policy and Governance update
  • Subsidence
  • Repairing windows in almshouses
  • The Almshouse Association origins
  • De-registration
  • Almshouse Association activity update
  • Our new Board

Issue 277 Spring 2025

In this issue

  • HRH Duke of Gloucester visits The Poland Trust
  • Trustee Recruitment Workshop
  • Almshouses of BBC Morning Live
  • Using your Member Logo
  • MP Strategy
  • Charity Health Checks
  • Setting Weekly Maintenance Contributions
  • Policy and Governance update
  • Lasting Powers of Attorney
  • Staying in touch with residents
  • Association Board Awayday
  • Evaluating the effectiveness of your charity
  • Gardening for wellbeing

Issue 276 Autumn/Winter 2024

In this issue

  • HRH Duke of Gloucester visits Girton Town Charity Dovehouse Court
  • Census results
  • A new era of philanthropy
  • New Housing Management Qualification
  • Mediation Services
  • The Almshouse Association Loans and Grants programme
  • Almshouses in the community
  • Charities and Social media part 2
  • Introducing a Service Charge
  • Rural almshouses provide a vital community role
  • Policy and Engagement update
  • Checklist to ensure legal compliance as ‘landlords’
  • WiFi project supports daily wellbeing
  • Digital touch screens

Issue 275 Summer 2024

In this issue

  • King Charles III – Our Royal Patron
  • Working with Charity Bank to promote energy efficiency
  • What we are asking from the new Government
  • Charitable Incorporated Organisations
  • Regional Peer Representatives and Regional Meetings
  • Recruiting trustees
  • Governing Documents – amending a charity’s beneficiary criteria
  • The Almshouse Association Awards
  • Charities and social media part 1
  • The Almshouse Association training hub
  • Registering on The Almshouse Association website
  • The Charity Governance Code
  • The importance of portable appliance testing
  • Lessons learnt – reflections of Charity Commission CEO
  • The benefits of undertaking a quinquennial survey
  • How long to keep a charity’s records?

Issue 274 Spring 2024

In this issue

  • Importance of using Letters of Appointment
  • Obtaining Homes England Funding without being a registered provider
  • Independent living
  • Olfactory dysfunction
  • Filing Accounts with the Charity Commission
  • Preparing for flooding and extreme weather events
  • Setting up PEEPS
  • Pets in almshouses
  • Self assessment health checks
  • Legionella Assessments for charities
  • Guidance of Lithium rechargeable batteries
  • Adverse effects of alcohol

Issue 273 Winter 23/24

In this issue:

  • Regional meetings
  • Finding new trustees
  • State benefits
  • Charity Commission 5 minute guides for trustees
  • Tips for cutting heating bills
  • Assessing design and ambition
  • Specimen outline budget
  • Guarding against thieves and scammer
  • National news insight
  • Friends of The Almshouse Association

Issue 272 Autumn 23

In this issue:

  • Heritage vs Carbon Footprint – competition or collaboration?
  • Official launch for Friends of The Almshouse Association
  • Looking after homes during cold weather
  • The Almshouse Census
  • Preparing an annual return for the Charity Commission
  • The role of trustees in making investment decisions
  • Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) for almshouses
  • Planning rules for listed buildings and conservation areas
  • Considering de-registration as a Registered Provider?
  • Archiving – past, present and future
  • Help for hoarders

Issue 271 Summer 23

In this issue:

  • Members Day 2023 /  New Chairman of The Almshouse Association
  • Almshouse Longevity Study
  • Planning Charity Finances
  • Consideration when changing governing document
  • Charity Fraud – reducing the risk
  • Almshouse Association Award winners
  • Almshouse Charity news- Girton Town Charity, Jarvis Eloomosynary Charity, Partis College, Great Shelford, Wyggestons, The  Hospital of God Charity, St John and St Anne Charity, St. May’s House, Abbot’s Hospital, Willie Seagar Memorial Trust
  • Responding to letters from MPs
  • Residents’ satisfaction surveys
  • Coronation celebrations

Issue 270 Spring 23

In this issue:

  • New edition of Standards of Almshouse Management
  • Sources of help to reduce the rising cost of living
  • Going digital
  • Bid to receive government ‘affordability’ recognition for almshouses
  • Where there is no next of kin
  • Historic England guidance note
  • When is the right time to refurbish almshouses?
  • Quick and easy no cost guide to energy saving
  • Does your charity have a heat network?

Issue 269 Winter 22/23

In this issue:

  • Report on almshouses during the pandemic
  • Guidance on WMC
  • Statement on Association investments
  • Getting up-to-date and staying up-to-date
  • Charity Bank
  • The Almshouse Way CPD accredited training programme
  • Charity Reserves • Making payments to trustees
  • Archiving
  • Managing a charity’s financial difficulties
  • Condensation  / protecting almshouses over winter
  • Avoiding slips and trips in wet and icy weather
  • Legal obligations when using CCTV

Issue 268  Autumn 22

In this issue:

  • £800m decarbonisation fund
  • New Almshouse Association Awards
  • APPG on Almshouses poses Right to Buy exemption question to government
  • Establishing community links
  • Financing the cost of repairs or refurbishment
  • Amending a charity’s governing document
  • The trustee’s role in investment
  • Cyber Security Awareness and Social Media Awareness added to online training library
  • Member Services

Issue 267  Summer 22

In this issue:

  • The church and almshouses – a one thousand year partnership
  • Trustee recruitment
  • Accessing ARC TV licences
  • Charity bank accounts available from Co-op bank
  • Solar Farm opportunities
  • Events: Raising the almshouse profile/Members Day
  • Members Survey 2021
  • Community led housing fund
  • Almshouse Association Award Winners

Issue 266  Spring 22

In this issue:

  • CEO Comment: Charity, trustees and the strength of small scale
  • Top project tips from members
  • Social Housing White Paper
  • Reviewing induction training for charity trustees
  • Almshouse developments
  • Fire safety regulations • Digital telephone switchover
  • Decarbonisation  • Energy costs
  • VAT – opportunities and challenges

Issue 265  Winter 21/22

In this issue:

  • New report shows benefits of almshouses
  • Essential building checks
  • Protect from fraud and cyber crime
  • An intergenerational journey
  • Reflections on our 75th anniversary celebration year
  • Preparing finances for development projects
  • Mediation scheme
  • Fire safety awareness with mobility scooters
  • New Regional Champions

Issue 264  Autumn 21

In this issue:

  • HRH The Price of Wales visits Bond’s Hospital
  • Appeal for advice on energy bills
  • Accepting our history
  • IAPPG hears how almshouses responded to covid
  • New almshouse developments
  • Member celebrations/ Almshouse Association 7th anniversary garden party
  • Lessons from 16 years of almshouse lending
  • Advice on unoccupied properties
  • Emergency plans

Issue 263  Summer 21

In this issue:

  • Links with church to create affordable homes
  • Research helps develop support for Welsh members
  • Need to review policies and procedures and Charity Health Check
  • Is your alarm system still up-to-date?
  • Value of working with community foundations
  • 2021 – A year of almshouse recognition and
    celebrations
  • Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and Electrical safety standards tests
  • Relational Care
  • Mental health and well-being in the charity sector

Issue 262  Spring 21

In this issue:

  • Welcome new Ambassadors
  • Parliamentary Group discusses almshouse movement
  • Almshouse Association branding
  • Is your charity struggling?
  • New almshouses in Twickenham
  • Relational Care
  • 75th anniversary and almshouse charity celebrations
  • Energy efficiency in Cheltenham almshouses
  • VAT domestic reverse charge on construction services
  • RICS research

Issue 261  Winter  20/21

In this issue:

  • 75th Anniversary plans
  • YouGov Survey
  • Vital role of Almshouse Association Ambassadors
  • The function of trustees in investment matters
  • Government grants update
  • Making changes to your Trustee Body
  • First regional champions appointed
  • Condensation problems
  • Building new local relationships with Age UK

Issue 260  Autumn  20

In this issue:

  • New Ambassador for the Association
  • Gardens and People Award winners
  • Affordable Homes Grant extended to 2023
  • Virtual AGM takes place
  • Association’s Engagement plan
  • Definition of an almshouse officially recognised
  • Submitting your Annual Return
  • WMC levels
  • Using reserves and restricted funds during Covid-19

Issue 259  Summer 20

In this issue:

  • Support for almshouses during health pandemic
  • Regional champions invited to support local members
  • Report on 2020 Members Survey
  • Partnership between almshouse and land trust
  • Top tips for finding the right trustees
  • Vision for a 21st century almshouse in Bristol
  • Housing designed for greater social benefit
  • Guidance for fire risk assessment

Issue 258  Spring 20

In this issue:

  • HRH The Prince of Wales visits Nicholas Chamberlaine Almshouses
  • New corporate logo
  • London Almshouses Group holds first meeting
  • Development Finance Loans
  • Artists’ studio conversions in Totnes Devon
  • Navigating legal challenges in social care
  • Dilemma of residents improved finances
  • Extra business support for local communities

Issue 257  Winter 19/20

In this issue:

  • Anglo-Dutch collaboration
  • £7m almshouse project in Uxbridge
  • Early project preparation and planning
  • Policy and Governance – national news insight
  • Cold weather advice
  • Guarding against potential conflict of interest
  • NAACIF converts to new structure
  • Insight into building a better more robust board
  • Heat Network rules

Issue 256  Autumn 2019

In this issue:

  • Members day Conference 2019
  • Interest free loans and grants
  • Budgeting to look after your assets
  • Safeguarding future generations through careful land management
  • Repair, alteration and restoration of historic buildings
  • Almshouse Association Award winners
  • Safety Advice over the Christmas period
  • Almshouse signs up to LGBTQ rights
  • Survey attracts a wealth of data to aid longevity research

Issue 255  Summer 2019

In this issue:

  • Online training courses for Association members
  • TV licence concessions for residents
  • Policy and Governance – latest updates
  • Grants help support almshouse schemes
  • Awards for best home providers
  • Protecting your charity’s interest
  • What is an almshouse?
  • Building begins on community led bungalows
  • 20 years as an almshouse clerk

Issue 254  Spring 2019

In this issue:

  • Historic homes reopen after £1m modernisation
  • Our Royal Patron, HRH The Prince of Wales visits Thomas Parsons Charity
  • Finchley Charities build contemporary new homes
  • Critical details when making claims for Universal Credit
  • Avoiding common problems with Trustee Boards
  • Almshouses on TV documentary
  • Presentation of Patron’s Awards
  • Research into the longevity of almshouse residents
  • Energy scheme grant helps install efficient heating